Q: I've designed three
new items of clothing and would like to find someone to take them
to market. There must be a million smart people waiting for this
opportunity, but how do I find just the right one?

Taskel Dishman
Via e-mail

A: What you are seeking is a
sales or manufacturers' representative. In the clothing
industry, sales reps may sell the goods they represent from
showrooms or take what they sell to potential buyers at their
locations. While experience is desirable, a new rep is more apt to
take on new products. To find sales reps, try fashion showrooms,
trade expos, ads placed in trade publications and recommendations
from clothing stores and manufacturers.

You can also use the Web to find reps: Input key words like
"manufacturers' representative" and
"clothing" into a search engine, or check out the various
Net directories of manufacturers' reps. However, this will cost
you: RepLink
and the Manufacturers Agents National Association both charge
$149 per year, so it's a good idea to contact these providers
before subscribing to make sure they list enough sales reps
specializing in clothing to make your investment worthwhile.

Another helpful source is GarmentoSpeak, a consulting firm that provides
seminars and consulting for entrepreneurs in the sewn-products
industry.